


The Sorting Hat

by LissMels



Series: Harry Potter: Next Generation Oneshots [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fluff, Gen, The Sorting Hat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-04
Updated: 2018-05-04
Packaged: 2019-05-02 03:11:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14535387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LissMels/pseuds/LissMels
Summary: Albus gets sorted on his first day at Hogwarts, although he is not satisfied with the result. He is in denial, and wants to get re-sorted. Will he ever feel like he fits in?





	The Sorting Hat

**Year of happening: 2017**

"Rose Weasley," Professor Longbottom called out. Albus caught a glimpse of Rose's nervous eyes before she hurried up to the hat. He was not quite sure what he was expecting. Almost everyone in their family were sorted into the same house as their parents. All except Fred, that is - he was a Ravenclaw, despite both of his parents being Gryffindors. Aunt Fleur had not attended Hogwarts, so Victoire being in Ravenclaw, and Louis in Hufflepuff, had not come as a shock to any of them. Teddy had also been a Hufflepuff, like his mother. It must be true, then - that Hogwarts houses run in the family.

"RAVENCLAW," the hat cried out. Albus snapped back into reality, the truth of what had happened washing over him. Rose had been sorted into the blue house, not the red house like he had thought she would.

More names were called, and more houses were cried out. "Carly Ross" was put in Gryffindor, followed by two Hufflepuffs and a "Scorpius Malfoy", who was put in Slytherin. Albus got more and more nervous the more people got sorted. Next up was a girl called "Agnes Scott", and Albus had barely registered that she was sorted into Ravenclaw when...

"Albus Potter." The sound of his own name startled Albus. He noticed how all of a sudden, all attention had fallen onto him, and he could feel his hands shaking as he stumbled up to the stool. He just wanted to get this over with. It will be okay, he kept telling himself. The hat knows what it's doing.

"Let's see here," said a little voice in his ear, and Albus started pleading immediately. Not Slytherin... Anything but Slytherin... "Not Slytherin, you say? That sounds familiar - I believe it was your father who chanted that. However, I must disappoint you - it appears that you are a perfect match for the Slytherin house" No, Albus protested desperately, internally pleading for the hat to change its mind. He was horrorstruck, feeling himself half panic. This was not supposed to happen! "I assume you would prefer being put in Gryffindor like your family, am I right?" The hat continued, slightly calming Albus. He thought of all his Gryffindor family members. Not to mention James - Albus could easily see his older brother teasing him for getting sorted into Slytherin. "Well, that is a shame, for you do not fit in well among the Gryffindors. You care a lot about your reputation, and rather than expressing your opinion, you do what is expected of you. Yet you can be cunning and ambitious, and you wish for great results in all that you do. Such traits will get you far in life, that is for sure, and Slytherin will help you along the way. It is not at all a bad house, and I am sure that it is where you belong."

All Albus could think of, though, was how James would react. In his mind, he asked the hat, "But what about James? What will he say if I get sorted into Slytherin?"

"Would you rather spend the next seven years knowing that you don't fit in? That you have been sorted into the wrong house?"

"But I don't think Slytherin is right for me either, why can't I be in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff?"

"Ravenclaw is not the right place for you, nor is Hufflepuff. But if you truly feel like Slytherin is not the right house, I will leave the choice to you."

"Me? Do you want me to sort myself?"

"One cannot feel at home in a house that one only wants to escape." At first, Albus felt as though his luck had finally striked, but when it came down to it, he could not quite make his mind up (not after what the hat had told him, mind you). What if he truly did not belong in Gryffindor? If he chose the wrong house, he would likely spend the next seven years regretting it. There was no room for mistakes in this situation, and Albus felt paralyzed with indecision. He let the internal conflict burn for a bit in the back of his head, before he found that he had surrendered to the hat. He could not choose a house that he so clearly had been told not to.

"Very well, then," the hat finally responded, as if it had closely watched over Albus' thoughts. "I stand by my choice, and I believe that the green and silver will suit you perfectly, because the house you belong in is SLYTHERIN!" It had been announced to the people of the Great Hall, and the Slytherin table erupted into cheers and a great ovation. Needless to say, Albus was disappointed. Somewhere deep down, he had hoped for the hat to change its mind and put him in Gryffindor, after all. He had hoped for it to realize that red would fit him better, and that he would have a much easier time finding friends.

Oh, no - finding friends! Albus knew no one in the Slytherin house, and from what he had heard, most Slytherin students were cruel and selfish.

Albus regretted it all. The freshly sorted student put the blame on himself, for he knew that he could have prevented Slytherin if he had chosen to. There was something about what the hat said, and what his father had told him at the train station, that had made him distrust his own judgement.

The hat was lifted off Albus' head, and the boy immediately aimed his gaze at the Gryffindor table. All he could see was shock - in his brother's eyes, and his Gryffindor cousins' eyes - Roxanne, Dominique, Lucy and Molly. Of course they were shocked - they could not have expected anything but Gryffindor. Albus Severus Potter: The family's first Slytherin.

The boy eventually forced the truth down his own throat, though refused for a moment to acknowledge that this was really a result of his own choice. Albus took a deep breath, his father's words echoing through his mind as he calmly walked towards the table in green. He held his head high, his hands still shaking. It felt like he was heading for the wrong table.

Sitting down, Albus noticed a quick look of suspicion from the blonde boy whom was seated next to him. But when he turned, the boy was no longer looking. He was staring at his lap, as if in deep thought. This was Scorpius Malfoy, was it not? Albus' father had told him about the Malfoys, and about his rivalry with this boy's father. His uncle Ron and aunt Hermione had not liked him either - nor uncle George for that matter. Nobody in Albus' family got along with the Malfoys, it seemed. If that was true, then perhaps Albus should stay away from this boy...

The sorting ceremony continued, but Albus paid no attention. He was lost in his own thoughts, blaming himself and the hat, for half an eternity, until finally, the feast ended. The Head Boys and Girls were to lead the first years to their common rooms, and Albus found that he could not help but want to take a sharp turn and follow the flock of Gryffindor first years. He had heard so much about the other three common rooms, as he had family members from various houses. Mostly Gryffindor, of course, but Teddy and Louis had both expressed their love for the Hufflepuff common room, and Victoire and Fred for Ravenclaw. But as Albus knew no one in the Slytherin house, he also did not know what to expect from the common room.

The common room was green, of course, and rather dark. A fireplace was the main source of light, with an additional couple of green bulbs floating under the ceiling. The windows were narrow (and again, green), and could offer sightings of fish and merpeople in the distance, though they barely gave off any light at all. Albus wondered if he would be able to see where he was walking if the fireplace and bulbs were not lit.

Albus went early to bed that day, and made the decision not to talk to his new roommates. He could hear them chatting in the distance, and noticed that the conversation sounded more like a show-off between the participants, rather than a functional conversation. _How very Slytherin of them_ , thought Albus as he closed his eyes, deciding to speak to McGonagall as soon as morning came.

And morning did soon come. Albus was almost surprised to see that he was not the first one up, for Malfoy sat curled up in his robes in front of the fireplace. The crackling sound of the fire was the only thing that he could hear, so he barely even did notice the boy sitting there.

"Hey," said the blonde, barely even turning his head to see who had entered. At first Albus did not want to make conversation with the other, but did figure that it was rude not to answer.

"Hello," he therefore responded, though did not intend to keep the conversation going.

"You are the son of Harry Potter, are you not?" Albus felt a strike of disappointment run through his body when the other had said this, for he was afraid that this would happen - that people would only recognize him as the son of Harry Potter. That he would not be treated as any other student, just because his father just so happened to be the Chosen One. "I hadn't expected to see you get sorted into Slytherin," the blonde continued, scoffing, wearing a slight, smile. "It's rather funny, don't you think? My father said that when he was young, Harry Potter and himself did not get along at all - but then here are we, in the same house and everything!"

"I don't see what's so funny about that," replied Albus, feeling rather gloomy from being reminded of his unwanted sorting result. He had to admit to himself, though, that he did appreciate the attempt of making conversation. The fact that it had been Malfoy surprised him, as he was expecting instant rivalry between them, though he was not sure if the boy had other intentions. "Sorry, I'd like to have a chat with you if I wasn't in a hurry, but I have to speak to professor McGonagall." He gave a short wave to the other and hurried out of the common room, without waiting for a response.

As a fresh first year, finding McGonagall was easier said than done. He first went to the Headmaster's Office hoping to find her. As he approached the entry he was met by Peeves, who through a silly song and dance informed the young boy that McGonagall had left, though the poltergeist refused to tell where (hide and seek, just for funsies, had he said). Albus then thought that she could perhaps be in the Gryffindor common room, and went off to find it. He was glad, now, that his brother had told him all about the Gryffindor house, for otherwise he would not have known where the common room was located. He was also aware that he would be met by a large portrait of a fat lady.

"Password?" she asked the boy in green.

"I don't have the password," replied Albus.

"No password, you say? No one is allowed in until they say the magic words."

"Hocus pocus?" Albus tried sarcastically, frowning. 

"Incorrect," answered the Fat Lady, having not understood the joke. Albus sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Please, I need to see McGonagall, is she in there?"

"Say, I have not seen the Headmistress all day. And even if I had, a password would still be needed!"

After this, Albus lurked around in the halls for a bit, hoping to stumble upon professors or prefects who could help him find McGonagall. When this did not happen, he figured that he would head to the Great Hall for the morning feast. This was the point when he felt like an idiot, for everyone must had gathered for the morning feast, he realized - including the professors. Sure enough, McGonagall sat in her spot in the middle of the long table in front, and most likely had been all morning while Albus had been looking for her.

"McGonagall," He started carefully, feeling nervous, yet confident. "Could I possibly get a new sorting?" McGonagall gave him with a questioning, firm look.

"Why, that is a rather unusual request - what is the reasoning behind it?"

"Well, I don't feel like it's the right house for me, nor do I have any friends or family in Slytherin."

"Mr. Potter, the Sorting Hat is sure of its decisions. Re-sortings are rarely ever performed - in fact, there has only been one case, and that student was in his third year when he got re-sorted! I would advise you to give it some time before considering such a permanent act - you just might be positively surprised." By this, Albus figured there would likely be no re-sorting him, and was not sure what response to give. He looked speechless at the Headmistress as she finished, "Now, if you have no other plans you may want to take a seat and get yourself some food before class."

Albus did as he was told, and as he turned, he noticed James sitting at the Ravenclaw table next to Fred. From the sight of it, figured that he perhaps could sit there as well, next to Rose (the two had originally planned on sticking together, until they were sorted differently).

"Oy, look who's here," announced the Gryffindor rather loudly, noticing his brother heading their way. He grabbed hold of him and ruffled the younger's hair, wearing an excited smirk.

"Your sorting is the biggest talk around the school," announced Fred, as Albus had just settled down next to Rose. "Albus Severus Potter - a Slytherin! It is absolutely brilliant!" As the Ravenclaw kept talking, Albus realized something; Fred was, as well as himself, sorted into an unexpected house. He started thinking that perhaps the Ravenclaw was the only one in his family who could relate to his situation, and be able to give him some advice. 

"Wait," spoke Albus, stopping Fred from saying any more. "Fred, you're a Ravenclaw..." He trailed off for a brief moment, sharing eye contact with his cousin. "What was your sorting like?"

"Absolutely brilliant, just like yours," replied Fred, his smile proudly widening. "See, The Hat wanted me in Gryffindor, but honestly, look around you - in our family, we're surrounded by Gryffindors! Everyone getting sorted into the same house is just plain boring, and I wanted something else for a change. The Hat suggested Ravenclaw as an alternate house for me, and here I am!" He was widely gesturing with his hands as he explained, seeming quite excited to share this outstanding story.

"So you chose to _not_ get sorted into Gryffindor?"

"Right you are, Al." The Ravenclaw leaned closer, as to tell him a secret. "The Grey Lady says I'm the most reckless Ravenclaw she's ever seen." After saying this, Fred winked at the young Potter boy, who was rather speechless. It did not surprise him that Fred would come up with such a stunt, but he found it quite incredible that he actually went through with it. Was his Hogwarts house not valuable to him? Did he not find it important to get sorted correctly? Did he not feel misplaced?

"And you're okay with that? I mean, knowing that you are in the wrong house?"

"Wrong house? Blimely, Al, am I not clever enough for you? The Hat said that Ravenclaw was a good alternative, as I've got my father's creative mind and brilliance. It takes a sharp mind to be a good prankster." He pointed to his head and raised an eyebrow as he said this.

James continued, "But you choosing Slytherin is even better - I didn't think you had the guts!"

"But I didn't choose it - in fact, I didn't want it at all!" James and Fred shared a quiet, rather confused glance, frowning at each other before looking back to their younger relative.

"What do you mean you didn't? I mean, surely Slytherin is not _actually_ your right house?"

"Apparently it is, according to The Hat. I asked McGonagall to get a new sorting but she just said to give it time." At this, the two older boys burst out laughing, suddenly mocking the Slytherin for his sorting result rather than preaching him. It was a mean act in which upset Albus, who had hung his head in shame, his gaze suddenly fixed upon the floor.

"Oh, stop it, you two," spoke Rose, who had been silently observing the conversation up until now. "The Sorting Hat is never wrong - Albus is a Slytherin, and that's no reason to laugh!" The boys still did find Albus' house funny, and at some point in-between the laughing they pulled their hoods up, imitating some oh-so-evil Death Eaters in reference to the green house. Rose continued with an annoyed sigh, "Slytherins are not some whiny, Voldemort-praising cowards, they are cunning, ambitious and resourceful - in fact, Slytherins are more likely to succeed than students of any other house - bloody hell, _Merlin_ was a Slytherin - so if anyone should be laughing, it should be _Albus_!" This finally shut the pranksters up, but Rose was not sitting around waiting for some response. She grabbed hold of Albus' forearm and pulled him with her out of the Great Hall, leaving James and Fred behind.

While the two were chatting in the halls, Rose expressed that Albus should not be ashamed of his Hogwarts house, as it was part of him. He was glad to hear her words of support, and felt slightly better about the green house after learning what great things Slytherin had to offer. She also offered a new insight on the whole Slytherin stereotype; Dark wizards and witches were not in Slytherin because they were evil or mean-spirited, but because they were great wizards. They were only ever a threat because they were more likely to succeed with their evil plans.

Eventually, though, the two cousins had to part ways, as Rose was heading for Herbology and Albus for Potions. She wished him good luck and asked him to make the best out of it, before she was off. Albus quickly picked up his books from his trunk in the dormitory, before heading towards the Potions classroom. As soon as he stepped into the room, he noticed a lot of eager eyes falling upon him. 

"Hey, Potter," a couple of voices said, a few in which he noticed belonged to other Slytherins. "Come sit with me," they said, some pushing away their partners to make space for him. A girl gave him a large smile and patted the empty seat next to her. The boy in front of her got up from his seat to offer it to Albus. In response to all of these requests, he gave a little smile, only to not seem rude, and proceeded to sit in the very front by himself. This was simply because he did not want that kind of special treatment, nor did he want people to befriend him only because he was a Potter. He heard a few sounds of disappointment behind him as he settled down, and soon he also heard people shuffling around behind him.

"Is this seat taken?" He heard a familiar voice say, and turned to see Scorpius Malfoy approaching an empty seat.

"Yeah, sorry, mate," was the response given, and Albus noticed the girl who had just offered him a seat, putting her books on that very empty seat as Malfoy approached her. The blonde looked around a little, seemingly searching for someone willing to pair up with him, until his eyes landed on Albus. They shared eye contact for a brief moment, but the raven-haired boy looked away as the other was about to approach him. 

Originally, Albus did not want to be seated next to Scorpius, either. However, as he witnessed the cruelity that the blonde was prone to, he chose to not deny him the seat.

"Hi, Albus," spoke Scorpius, smiling, sitting down next to the boy. Albus had not expected for him to call him by first name, although he appreciated being recognized for who he was - and not just Potter. He smiled back at him, but did not verbally respond. 

Albus was rather awkward at first, unsure whether or not to start a conversation with Scorpius. It took a while for him to feel comfortable in the situation, as they both knew of their family history and how their parents would react. At some point, a little ball of curled up parchment came flying from the back of the classroom, hitting Scorpius' head and landing on his desk. The blonde picked it up and straightened it out, only to reveal the word 'Coward' written on it. It was obvious that the note saddened him, although he only threw it away after reading it and returned his focus to the professor. This was the moment when Albus changed his way of thinking. Suddenly, he felt sympathy for Malfoy, and started to question the impression he had been given. How could this boy possibly be a threat?

After having hesitated for a good while, Albus decided to give the other a chance, despite what his parents, uncles, aunts, and even grandparents as well, had warned him of. Their interaction was slow and limited at first, and Albus nearly regretted starting it at some point, as he could not see a point to where it was heading. However, the two boys did, to Albus' pleasant surprise, share a few laughs during that class. They did not stumble upon any conflicts or opposition during it - or, at least, not with each other. Somehow, they just clicked.

The first class was indeed an experience beyond any of their expectations. As they packed their books Albus thought that things might go back to how they were, and their first class would soon grow to be forgotten. They were Potter and Malfoy, after all. Albus had his expectations low, and had no problem with this thought. In fact, he thought he might find Rose and hang about with her for a while, only to kill some time between classes. That thought soon changed, as Scorpius stopped and asked him to tag along. Albus thought for himself a bit, and found that he would like that, so he accepted the offer. After that, it somehow felt natural that they should pair up in Charms, as well, since they did spend all that time together beforehand. 

Things had indeed escalated quickly, and Albus was not quite sure how they had reached this point. Not that he minded - he was glad that he had someone to hang with, even if it was only temporary.

As well as his pairing with Scorpius in class, Albus decided to tag along to the library and study room, only to get to know him better. The reason why he had suddenly decided to do this, was simple; Scorpius was nothing like what he had been warned of, nor what he had expected. That fact had been beyond confirmed to him, and he nearly found it silly that he had ever thought otherwise. 

All the things he had been told to look out for in a Malfoy, seemed senseless at this point. At first Albus thought he would meet some spoiled snob who would believe that he was the king of the school. However, the Malfoy he had seen, was not at all like that. In fact, he was quite nice, and funny, too. By the end of the day, the two boys had received an entirely new view on each other's families and stories, and had grown to understand one another, even after such a short time. 

They were in their dormitory, ready to call it the night. Albus found that he all of a sudden felt very comfortable in Scorpius' company as they were getting ready for bed. Scorpius sat down on his bed before pausing for a moment, then looked Albus in the eye, smiling.

"You know, I've had a really nice day" he spoke, then stretched out his hand for Albus to shake it. His smile widened. The raven-haired student knew what was coming next, and a smile found its way to his lips. "Friends?" Albus looked at Scorpius' outstretched hand, feeling a rush of adrenaline streaming through his body. He was thinking for himself of what an odd coincidence this had been. A lot had changed since their parents' rivalry, it seemed, and he realized that he could see himself build a solid friendship with this boy. There was no doubt in his mind at this point.

"Friends," he replied in confirmation, and so he shook Malfoy's hand. Their smiles widened. 

Perhaps Slytherin was not so bad after all.

 


End file.
